Marine electronic device for presentment of nautical charts and sonar images

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for providing marine information is provided including a user interface, a processor, and a memory including computer program code. The memory and the computer program code are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to generate a sonar image based on sonar return data received from an underwater environment, determine a location associated with the sonar return data based on location data received from one or more position sensors, and render a nautical chart on a display. The computer program code is further configured to cause the apparatus to receive a user input on the user interface directed to a portion of the display in which the nautical chart is presented, and modify presentation of the nautical chart such that the portion of the display presents the sonar image in response to receiving the user input.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to marineelectronic devices, and more particularly, to systems and apparatusesfor presenting nautical charts and sonar images.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Nautical charts including electronic or interactive nautical charts aretypically used to provide a user with information about a body of waterincluding (but not limited to) depth, routes, areas of interest,submerged objects, or the like. In some examples, nautical charts mayalso provide an indication of the location of a vessel associated with achart display device. Further, some nautical charts may also display thelocation, course, speed, and/or other information for one or more othervessels on the body of water, such as provided by automaticidentification system (AIS).

Sonar images utilize sonar data received from one or more transducers ona vessel to provide a “picture” of the underwater environment.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A display panel can be used to present marine information (such as sonarimages or nautical charts) to a user. For example, a display may presenta sonar image and a nautical chart in a split screen format or one isselected and displayed at a given time. The distributed or binarydisplay of the nautical chart and sonar image may result in a userconsulting several displays and/or making several selections on a userinterface to determine the surface and subsurface conditions of a bodyof water.

To understand the surface and submerged conditions of a body water, auser may consult a nautical chart and one or more sonar images. Thenautical chart may be separate and unrelated to incoming sonar datacollected by one or more sonar transducers. Since the nautical chart andsonar images are separate and not correlated, the user may have todetermine or infer information between the nautical chart and the sonarimages. It may be difficult and/or time consuming for the user toascertain the condition of the body of water, which may detract from thecommercial or recreational activities of the vessel.

In some example embodiments, the sonar image data may be correlated withlocation data associated with receipt of the sonar return. In this way,the sonar image data may be associated with corresponding location onthe nautical chart. A user may then change a perspective on the displaybetween the nautical chart and a sonar image associated with aparticular location. For example, the user may zoom in on a location onthe nautical chart. When a scale value for the chart reaches apredetermined scale value threshold, the display may shift to a sonarimage associated with the location, or zoom through the chart into thesonar image.

In some embodiments, there may be a plurality of scale value thresholds,such as a first scale value threshold, which, when exceeded, causes afirst sonar image, such as a sidescan sonar image to be overlaid on thenautical chart. A second scale value threshold may shift the displayedperspective between the nautical chart including the sidescan sonarimage overlay and a second sonar image, such as a 2D downscan image, 3Dsonar image, 2D live sonar image, 3D live sonar image, or the like. Insome instances, the location may be associated with a vessel's currentlocation, causing a current or live sonar image to be displayed.However, in other instances the selected location may be remote from thevessel and, if available, a stored sonar image may be rendered, such aspreviously generated by the vessel or another vessel and stored in acommonly accessible storage location.

In some embodiments, the user interface may change perspectives betweenthe nautical chart and the sonar image based on panning a display angle.For example, a horizon, such as a waterline may be disposed between thenautical chart and the sonar data. A user may drag the horizon up toshift the displayed perspective to the sonar image and drag the horizondown to shift the displayed perspective to the nautical chart. A usermay shift the perspective completely to the sonar image or nauticalchart, or may shift the perspective to an intermediate state showingboth the sonar data and the nautical chart. In some example embodiments,the perspective shift may be anchored to the vessel position or aselected location, such that the sonar image and nautical chart arecorrelated by location. Panning of the perspective of the renderednautical chart and sonar image may provide an intuitive user interface,particularly in an instance in which the sonar image and nautical chartare three-dimensional.

In an example embodiment, an apparatus for providing marine informationis provided including a user interface, a processor, and a memoryincluding computer program code. The memory and the computer programcode are configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus togenerate a sonar image based on sonar return data received from anunderwater environment relative to a vessel, determine a locationassociated with the sonar return data based on location data receivedfrom one or more position sensors at an instance in which the sonarreturn data was received by one or more transducers associated with thevessel, present a nautical chart on a display, receive a user input onthe user interface directed to a portion of the display in which thenautical chart is presented, and modify, in response to receiving theuser input, presentation of the nautical chart such that the portion ofthe display presents the sonar image.

In some example embodiments, the memory and the computer program codeare further configured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus topresent the nautical chart on the display from a first perspective andcause, in response to receiving the user input, presentation of ashifting from the first perspective to a second perspective on theportion of the display. The second perspective includes presentation ofat least a portion of the sonar image. In an example embodiment, thenautical chart includes a three-dimensional nautical chart, the sonarimage includes a three-dimensional sonar image, a waterline ispositioned between the nautical chart and the sonar image duringpresentation of the shifting, and the user input includes a touch inputat a first point on the portion of the display at or above thewaterline, dragging the waterline to a second point that is verticallyabove the first point on the portion of the display, and releasing thetouch input.

In some example embodiments, the user input includes a touch input bythe user at a first point on the portion of the display and dragging ofthe touch input to a second point on the portion of the display. In anexample embodiment, the first point is associated with a nautical charthorizon. In some example embodiments, the first point is associated witha perspective icon.

In an example embodiment, the user input defines a desired zoom level.

In some example embodiments, the sonar image includes a threedimensional sonar image.

In an example embodiment, the nautical chart includes automaticidentification system (AIS) data.

In some example embodiments, the memory and the computer program codeare further configured to, with processor, cause the apparatus to rendera sonar image overlay over the nautical chart at a location associatedwith the sonar return data in response to the scale of the chartsatisfying a predetermined scale and remove the sonar image overlay inresponse to the scale of the nautical chart exceeding the predeterminedscale. In an example embodiment, the sonar image overlay includes asidescan sonar image.

Additional example embodiments of the present invention include methods,systems, and computer program products associated with variousembodiments described herein, including, for example, the abovedescribed apparatus embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will nowbe made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn toscale, and wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates an example vessel including various sonar transducerassemblies, in accordance with some embodiments discussed herein;

FIG. 2 illustrates a block diagram of an example marine electronicsystem, in accordance with some example embodiments discussed herein;

FIG. 3 illustrates an example 2D nautical chart with sonar imageoverlay, in accordance with some embodiments discussed herein;

FIG. 4 illustrates an example 3D nautical chart with sonar imageoverlay, in accordance with some embodiments discussed herein;

FIG. 5 illustrates an example 3D sonar image, in accordance with someembodiments discussed herein;

FIG. 6 illustrates an example nautical chart and sonar image in a splitscreen view, in accordance with some example embodiments discussedherein; and

FIGS. 7A-7E illustrate an example change of perspective between anautical chart and a sonar image according to some embodiments discussedherein;

FIG. 8 illustrates an example nautical chart with a perspective icon inaccordance with some embodiments discussed herein; and

FIG. 9 illustrates a flowchart of example methods of controllingpresentation of nautical charts and/or sonar images according to someembodiments discussed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention now will be describedmore fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, inwhich some, but not all embodiments of the invention are shown. Indeed,the invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not beconstrued as limited to the exemplary embodiments set forth herein;rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure willsatisfy applicable legal requirements. Like reference numerals refer tolike elements throughout.

Example Watercraft

As depicted in FIG. 1, a watercraft, e.g. vessel 100, configured totraverse a marine environment, e.g. body of water 101, may use one ormore sonar transducer assemblies 102 a, 102 b, and 102 c disposed onand/or proximate to the vessel. The vessel 100 may be a surfacewatercraft, a submersible watercraft, or any other implementation knownto those skilled in the art. The transducer assemblies 102 a, 102 b, and102 c may each include one or more transducer elements configured totransmit sound waves into a body of water, receive sonar return signalsfrom the body of water, and convert the sonar return signals into sonarreturn data.

One or more sonar beams may be generated by the one or more transducerassemblies 102 a, 102 b, and 102 c when deployed in the body of water101. In some instances, a plurality of transducer elements may beembodied in a transducer assembly. In some instances, the transducerassembly may include one or more of a right scanning (e.g., sidescan)element, a left scanning (e.g., sidescan) element, a conical downscansonar element, and/or a bar (e.g., linear, elongated rectangle, or thelike) downscan sonar element, which may be housed within a transducerhousing. In some example embodiments, the transducer assembly may be atransducer array, e.g. a “phased array.” The transducer array mayinclude a plurality of transducer elements arranged on a printed circuitboard (PCB). The PCB may mechanically support and electrically connectthe electronic components, including the transducer elements usingconductive tracks (e.g. traces), pads, and other features. Theconductive tracks may comprise sets of traces, for example, eachtransducer element may be mounted to the PCB such that the transducerelement is in electrical communication with a set of traces. Eachtransducer element, sub-array, and/or the array of transducer elementsmay be configured to transmit one or more sonar pulses and/or receiveone or more sonar return signals.

The transducer arrays or individual transducer elements may transmit oneor more sonar signals, e.g. sonar beams, into a body of water with atransmit transducer, a transmit/receive transducer, or similar device.When the sound waves, of the sonar beams, strike anything of differingacoustic impedance (e.g., the sea floor or something suspended in thewater above the bottom), the sound waves reflect off that object. Theseechoes (or sonar return signals) may strike the transmitting transducerelement and/or a separate one or more sonar receiver elements, whichconvert the echoes back into an electrical signal which is processed bya processor (e.g., processing circuitry 407 as discussed in reference toFIG. 2) and sent to a display (e.g., an LCD) mounted in the cabin orother convenient location in the watercraft. This process is oftencalled “sounding”. Since the speed of sound in water may be determinedby the properties of the water (approximately 4800 feet per second infresh water), the time lapse between the transmitted signal and thereceived echoes can be measured and the distance to the objectsdetermined. This process may repeat itself many times per second. Theresults of many soundings are used to produce a sonar image representingthe underwater environment.

In an example embodiment, the one or more transducer assemblies mayinclude multiple transducer arrays and/or transducer elementscooperating to receive sonar return signals from the underwaterenvironment. The transducer arrays and/or transducer elements may bearranged in a predetermined configuration, e.g. relative positions,including known distances between each transducer array or transducerelement. The relative positions and known distances between thetransducer array or transducer element may be used to resolve an angleassociated with the sonar returns (and, for example, a correspondingobject in the underwater environment). The respective angles determinedby the relative positions and known distances of the transducer arraysor transducer elements may be compared and combined to generate atwo-dimensional and/or a three-dimensional position of the sonar returnsignals (and, for example, a corresponding object in the underwaterenvironment).

In some example embodiments, the returns from a plurality of thetransducer arrays and/or transducer elements may be compared via theprocess of interferometry to generate one or more angle values.Interferometry may involve determining the angle to a given sonar returnsignal via a phase difference between the returns received at two ormore transducer arrays and/or transducer elements. In some embodiments,the process of beamforming may be used in conjunction with the pluralityof transducer arrays and/or transducer elements to generate one or moreangle values associated with each sonar return signal. Beamforming mayinvolve generating a plurality of receive-beams at predetermined anglesby spatially defining the beams based on the relative phasing of thesonar returns and detecting the distance of the sonar returns in eachrespective beam. Beamforming and interferometry are further described inU.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/717,458, entitled “Sonar Systemsusing Interferometry and/or Beamforming for 3D Imaging”, published as US2016/0341827, and U.S. Pat. No. 9,739,884, entitled Systems andAssociated Methods for Producing a 3D Sonar Image,” both of which areassigned to the Assignee of the present application and are herebyincorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

In an example embodiment, a vessel 100 may include a main propulsionmotor 105, such as an outboard or inboard motor. Additionally, thevessel 100 may include trolling motor 108 configured to propel thevessel 100 or maintain a position. The one or more transducer assemblies(e.g., 102 a, 102 b, and/or 102 c) may be mounted in various positionsand to various portions of the vessel 100 and/or equipment associatedwith the vessel 100. For example, the transducer assemblies may bemounted to the transom 106 of the vessel 100, such as depicted bytransducer assembly 102 a, may be mounted to the bottom or side of thehull 104 of the vessel 100, such as depicted by transducer assembly 102b, or may be mounted to the trolling motor 108, such as depicted bytransducer assembly 102 c.

Example Architecture

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of an example computing device, such asuser device 403. The depicted computing device is an example marineelectronic device 405. The marine electronic device 405 may include anumber of different modules or components, each of which may compriseany device or means embodied in either hardware, software, or acombination of hardware and software configured to perform one or morecorresponding functions. The marine electronic device may also be incommunication with a network 402.

The marine electronic device 405 may also include one or morecommunications modules configured to communicate with one another in anyof a number of different manners including, for example, via a network.In this regard, the communications module may include any of a number ofdifferent communication backbones or frameworks including, for example,Ethernet, the NMEA 2000 framework, GPS, cellular, WiFi, or othersuitable networks. The network may also support other data sources,including GPS, autopilot, engine data, compass, radar, etc. Numerousother peripheral devices such as one or more wired or wirelessmulti-function displays may be included in a marine data system 400.

The marine electronic device 405 may include a processor 410, a memory420, a user interface 435, a display 440, and a communication interface430. Additionally, the marine electronic device 405 may include orotherwise be in communication with one or more sensors (e.g. positionsensor 445, other sensors 447, etc.) and/or one or more sonartransducers 448.

The processor 410 may be any means configured to execute variousprogrammed operations or instructions stored in a memory device such asa device or circuitry operating in accordance with software or otherwiseembodied in hardware or a combination of hardware and software (e.g. aprocessor operating under software control or the processor embodied asan application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) or field programmablegate array (FPGA) specifically configured to perform the operationsdescribed herein, or a combination thereof) thereby configuring thedevice or circuitry to perform the corresponding functions of theprocessor 410 as described herein. In this regard, the processor 410 maybe configured to analyze electrical signals communicated thereto toprovide or receive sonar data, sensor data, location data, and/oradditional environmental data. For example, the processor 410 may beconfigured to receive sonar return data, generate sonar image data, andgenerate one or more sonar images based on the sonar image data.Additionally, the processor may be configured to present a nauticalchart correlated to the sonar images and/or shift/modify the perspectiveof the sonar image and nautical chart in response to a user input.

In some embodiments, the processor 410 may be further configured toimplement signal processing or enhancement features to improve thedisplay characteristics or data or images, collect or process additionaldata, such as time, temperature, GPS information, waypoint designations,or others, or may filter extraneous data to better analyze the collecteddata. It may further implement notices and alarms, such as thosedetermined or adjusted by a user, to reflect depth, presence of fish,proximity of other vehicles, e.g. watercraft, etc.

In an example embodiment, the memory 420 may include one or morenon-transitory storage or memory devices such as, for example, volatileand/or non-volatile memory that may be either fixed or removable. Thememory 420 may be configured to store instructions, computer programcode, marine data, such as sonar data, chart data, location/positiondata, and other data associated with the navigation system in anon-transitory computer readable medium for use, such as by theprocessor for enabling the marine electronic device 405 to carry outvarious functions in accordance with example embodiments of the presentinvention. For example, the memory 420 could be configured to bufferinput data for processing by the processor 410. Additionally oralternatively, the memory 420 could be configured to store instructionsfor execution by the processor 410.

The communication interface 430 may be configured to enable connectionto external systems (e.g. an external network 402). In this manner, themarine electronic device 405 may retrieve stored data from a remoteserver 460 via the external network 402 in addition to or as analternative to the onboard memory 420. Additionally or alternatively,the marine electronic device may transmit or receive data, such as sonarsignals, sonar returns, sonar image data or the like to or from a sonartransducer 448. In some embodiments, the marine electronic device mayalso be configured to communicate with a propulsion system of the vessel100. The marine electronic device may receive data indicative ofoperation of the propulsion system, such as engine or trolling motorrunning, running speed, or the like.

The position sensor 445 may be configured to determine the currentposition and/or location of the marine electronic device 405. Forexample, the position sensor 445 may comprise a GPS, bottom contour,inertial navigation system, such as machined electromagnetic sensor(MEMS), a ring laser gyroscope, or other location detection system.

The display 440, e.g. screen, may be configured to display images andmay include or otherwise be in communication with a user interface 435configured to receive input from a user. The display 440 may be, forexample, a conventional LCD (liquid crystal display), a touch screendisplay, mobile device, or any other suitable display known in the artupon which images may be displayed.

In any of the embodiments, the display 440 may present one or more setsof marine data (or images generated from the one or more sets of data).Such marine data includes chart data, radar data, weather data, locationdata, position data, orientation data, sonar data, or any other type ofinformation relevant to the watercraft. In some embodiments, the display440 may be configured to present such marine data simultaneously as oneor more layers or in split-screen mode. In some embodiments, a user mayselect any of the possible combinations of the marine data for display.

In some further embodiments, various sets of data, referred to above,may be superimposed or overlaid onto one another. For example, a routemay be applied to (or overlaid onto) a chart (e.g. a map or navigationalchart). Additionally or alternatively, depth information, weatherinformation, radar information, sonar information, or any othernavigation system inputs may be applied to one another.

The user interface 435 may include, for example, a keyboard, keypad,function keys, mouse, scrolling device, input/output ports, touchscreen, or any other mechanism by which a user may interface with thesystem.

Although the display 440 of FIG. 2 is shown as being directly connectedto the processor 410 and within the marine electronic device 405, thedisplay 440 could alternatively be remote from the processor 410 and/ormarine electronic device 405. Likewise, in some embodiments, theposition sensor 445 and/or user interface 435 could be remote from themarine electronic device 405.

The marine electronic device 405 may include one or more other sensors447 configured to measure environmental conditions. The other sensors447 may include, for example, an air temperature sensor, a watertemperature sensor, a current sensor, a light sensor, a wind sensor, aspeed sensor, or the like.

The sonar transducer 448, such as transducer assemblies 102 a, 102 b,and 102 c, may be housed in a trolling motor housing, attached to thevessel 100 or, in some cases, be castable or otherwise remote. The sonartransducer 448 may be configured to gather sonar return signals, e.g.sonar returns, from the underwater environment relative to the vessel100. Accordingly, the processor 410 may be configured to receive thesonar return data from the sonar transducer 448, process the sonarreturn data to generate an image including a sonar image based on thegathered sonar return data. In some embodiments, the marine electronicdevice 405 may be used to determine depth and bottom contours, detectfish, locate wreckage, etc. In this regard, sonar beams or pulses from asonar transducer 448 can be transmitted into the underwater environment.The sonar signals reflect off objects in the underwater environment(e.g. fish, structure, sea floor bottom, etc.) and return to thetransducer assembly, which converts the sonar returns into sonar returndata that can be used to produce a sonar image of the underwaterenvironment.

Example User Interface Displays

FIGS. 3-8 illustrate various rendering (e.g., presentation) of sonarimages and/or nautical charts on a user interface display, such asdisplay 440 as referenced in FIG. 2. Also referencing FIG. 2, theprocessing circuitry 407 may be configured to receive location data fromthe position sensor 445, such as a global positioning system (GPS)sensor. The processing circuitry 407 may determine a location, e.g.geographical location, based on the location data and correlate thegeographic location with a corresponding chart location in the nauticalchart. The processing circuitry 407 may render the nautical chart 302 ondisplay 440, which may include an indication of a vessel location 306 inan instance in which the displayed portion of the nautical chart 302includes the chart location associated with the determined geographicallocation. Chart data associated with the nautical chart 302 may bestored in a memory, such as the memory 420 or remote server 460, fromwhich the processing circuitry 407 may retrieve the chart data asnecessary for rendering to the display 440.

The processing circuitry 407 may also be configured to receive sonarreturn data in response to the one or more sonar signals beingtransmitted into the body of water 101. As discussed above, theprocessing circuitry 407 may be configured to generate one or more sonarimages based on the one or more sonar returns. The processing circuitry407 may determine a location associated with the sonar return data basedon location data received by the position sensor 445 at the time inwhich the sonar return data was received by the one or more transducerassemblies 102 a, 102 b, 102 c. The processing circuitry 407 may beconfigured to correlate the sonar return data and/or the location datain real time such as by adding location data to the sonar return dataand/or sonar image data, or by correlation of time stamps included inthe location data and the sonar return data or sonar images. The sonarimages may include, without limitation, sidescan 2D sonar images, 3Ddownscan sonar images, 3D sonar images, 2D and/or 3D live (e.g. realtime or near real time) sonar images, or the like. The processingcircuitry 407 may be configured to render the sonar images on thedisplay 440 in real time or near real time, and/or store the sonarimages and corresponding location information in a memory, such as thememory 420 or the remote server 460.

The nautical chart 302 may be a 2D or 3D nautical chart that may berendered or presented at a plurality of scale or zoom levels. In someembodiments, as the scale value increases with decreasing zoom levels,fewer details of the chart data may be displayed in the nautical chart302. Similarly, in some such embodiments, as the scale value decreaseswith the increasing zoom level, more details of the chart data may berendered in the nautical chart 302. The processing circuitry 407 mayadjust the zoom level based on user inputs (e.g., gesture user inputs)on the user interface 435. Some example user inputs include touching orselecting an increase or decrease icon, rolling or dragging a zoom dialin a first or second direction, pinch open or pinch close, entering ascale value, or any other suitable method of defining a zoom level. Asdiscussed above, the user interface 435 may include one or moreinterface devices, such as a mouse, trackball, joystick or the like,which may be used to control a cursor on the display 440 and to makeselections. Additionally or alternatively, the user interface 435 mayinclude a touch screen, such that touch input and/or gestures on thetouch screen are used to provide user input.

In some example embodiments, sidescan sonar images or other suitablesonar images may be overlaid on the nautical chart 302, as a sonar imageoverlay 304. FIG. 3 illustrates a sonar image overlay 304 over a 2Dnautical chart 302. The sonar image overlay 304 may be overlaid onto thenautical chart 302 based on the location associated with the sonarimage, such that the geographical location of the sonar image data isaligned with the corresponding location in the nautical chart 302. Theprocessing circuitry 407 may be configured to display real time or nearreal time sonar images as the sonar image overlay 304 in response to thenautical chart 302 including the vessel location 306. Additionally oralternatively, the processing circuitry 407 may be configured to renderhistorical or stored sonar images as the sonar image overlay 304, suchas if no sonar images are available for the vessel location 306 or ifthe rendering of nautical chart 302 is zoomed in on a remote location303 separate from the vessel location 306. FIG. 4 depicts anotherrendering including a 3D nautical chart 802 with a sidescan sonar imageoverlay 804 which includes a vessel location 806.

In some embodiments, sonar image data may be linked to a threshold zoomlevel or scale value. For example, sidescan sonar images or othersuitable sonar images may be overlaid on the nautical chart 302 when thescale value satisfies a predetermined scale value threshold, such as 700ft/unit, 500 ft/unit, or any other suitable scale value based on thedisplay, sonar image, or the like. In response to the scale valueexceeding the predetermined scale value, the processing circuitry 407may be configured to remove the sonar image overlay 304.

In an example embodiment, the nautical chart may include navigationalinformation for one or more vessels, such as name, position, course,speed, expected routes, or the like. The navigational information may beprovided by an automatic identification system (AIS). The navigationalinformation may always be displayed on the nautical chart 302, may beselectively displayed on the nautical chart 302, or, similar to thesonar image overlay 304, may be added or removed based on a secondpredetermined scale value. For example, the processing circuitry 407 mayremove the navigational information from the nautical chart when thescale value satisfies a predetermined scale value threshold, such as 200ft/unit, or other suitable scale value. The processing circuitry 407 mayrender the navigational information on the nautical chart 302 inresponse to exceeding the predetermined scale value threshold.

Turning to FIG. 5, the processing circuitry 407 may also be configuredto render a sonar image 502, such as the depicted 3D sonar image. Thesonar image 502 may include a vessel location, and in some instances anindication of a projected beam pattern 506. FIG. 6 depicts an examplesplit screen view 600 including both a nautical chart 602 with a sonarimage overlay 603 and a sonar image 604. The depicted sonar imageoverlay 603 is a sidescan sonar image and the sonar image 604 is a 3Dstructural scan image. Each of the nautical chart 602, sonar imageoverlay 603, and sonar image 604 may include a vessel location 606A,606B. The processing circuitry 407 may align the nautical chart 602and/or the sonar image overlay 603 with the sonar image 604 based on thevessel location 606 or other location identified in both the nauticalchart and sonar image, such that each half of the split screen view isrendering information corresponding to the same location.

In some example embodiments, the processing circuitry 407 may beconfigured change a presentation on the display 440 from the nauticalchart 602 to the sonar image 604 and back based on a further scale valuethreshold, such as a smallest available scale value. In such anembodiment, processing circuitry 407 may present the nautical chart 602and then modify the presentation of the nautical chart such that atleast a portion of the sonar image 304 is presented, such as renderingthe split screen view 600 or rendering only the sonar image 604, as thezoom level is increased through the predetermined scale value threshold.As presented on the display 440, it may appear that the display has“zoomed through” the nautical chart 602 into the sonar image 604. Theprocessing circuitry 407 may reverse the process in response to the zoomlevel decreasing, causing the scale value to increase to satisfy thefurther predetermined scale value threshold.

Although the depicted sonar image 604 correlated with the vessellocation 606B, e.g. real time or near real time sonar images, theprocessing circuitry 407 may also render sonar images in response tozooming in at a remote location 605 separate from the vessel location606A in the nautical chart 602. The processing circuitry 407 may renderhistorical or stored sonar images from a memory, such as the memory 420or the remote server 460. Additionally or alternatively, the processingcircuitry 407 may render real time or near real time sonar images basedon sonar returns collected by a different vessel or a remote sonartransducer. For example, a sonar transducer, such as on a buoy, a probe,or a remote vessel may collect sonar returns and/or generate sonar imagedata, which may be transmitted to one or more other devices, includingthe marine electronic device 405 via the external network 402. Theprocessing circuitry 407 may render the remotely collected sonar imagesbased on the zoom level satisfying the predetermined scale valuethreshold and the location associated zoomed in portion of the nauticalchart 302, as discussed above.

Turning to FIGS. 7A-E, the processing circuitry 407 may change theperspective between a nautical chart 702 (which is currently showingsonar image overlay 703) and a sonar image 704 based on “panning” or“dragging” the perspective. Similar to FIG. 4, the nautical chart 702 isa 3D nautical chart and the sonar image 704 is a 3D sonar image. Theprocessing circuitry 407 may receive a user input selecting a firstpoint 708 including a portion of the display associated with thenautical chart 702, such as by selecting a cursor position or touchingthe screen, and dragging the selected point to a second point 710 on thedisplay 440 and releasing the input, such as an upward vertical swipeindicated by arrow D1. As depicted in FIGS. 7A-D, the perspective of therendering shifts from first perspective of the nautical chart 702 to asecond perspective of the sonar image 704. Similarly, the perspective ofthe presentation may shift from the sonar image 704 to the nauticalchart 702 in response to a second user input, such as selecting thirdpoint including a portion of the display associated with the sonar image704 and dragging the selected point to a fourth point on the display andreleasing, such as a downward vertical swipe.

In some embodiments, the point of rotation of the images may be aboutthe vessel location 706. The nautical chart 702 and sonar image 704 mayinclude a waterline, which may be positioned and define a horizon 712between the nautical chart 702 and the sonar image 704. Although, thedepicted perspective shift is between a 3D nautical chart and a 3D sonarimage, similar modifications of the presentation may be performed on anycombination of 2D and/or 3D nautical charts and sonar images, as wouldbe understood by one of ordinary skill in the art.

In an example embodiment, the first point may be a portion of thehorizon 712, for example the bottom of the display 440 when only thenautical chart 702 is displayed, the top of the display 440 when onlythe sonar image 704 is displayed, or the horizon 712 between thenautical chart 702 and the sonar image 704. In some example embodiments,the processing circuitry 407 may render a perspective icon 714, asdepicted in FIG. 8. The first point or third point may include theperspective icon 714, such that dragging a point starting in theperspective icon 714 may cause the processing circuitry 407 to shift theperspective of the display 440 between the nautical chart 702 and thesonar image 704. In some example embodiments, dragging a point that isnot associated with the horizon 712 or the perspective icon may rotatethe perspective within the nautical chart 702 and/or sonar image 704,without shifting between the nautical chart 702 and the sonar image 704.

This rendering of the nautical image 602 locationally-aligned with thesonar image 604 and/or a sonar image overlay 603 may make understandingof the condition of the body of water including, but not limited to,surface conditions, such as other vessels, and subsurface conditions,such as depth, objects, fish, or the like, intuitive and therebysubstantially easier for an operator to understand.

Example Flowchart(s) and Operations

Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, apparatus andcomputer program products for controlling presentation of nauticalcharts and/or sonar images. Various examples of the operations performedin accordance with embodiments of the present invention will now beprovided with reference to FIG. 9.

FIG. 9 illustrates a flowchart according to example methods forcontrolling presentation of nautical charts and/or sonar imagesaccording to an example embodiment. The operations illustrated in anddescribed with respect to FIG. 9 may, for example, be performed by, withthe assistance of, and/or under the control of one or more of theprocessor 410, memory 420, communication interface 430, user interface435, position sensor 445, other sensor 447, display 440, and/or sonartransducers 448.

The method may include generating a sonar image based on sonar returndata received from an underwater environment at operation 902,determining a location associated with the sonar return data based onlocation data received from one or more position sensors at operation904, present a nautical chart on a display at operation 906, receive afirst gesture user input at operation 908, and modify presentation ofthe nautical chart such that a portion of the display presents the sonarimage in response to the first gesture user input at operation 910.

FIG. 9 illustrates a flowchart of a system, method, and computer programproduct according to an example embodiment. It will be understood thateach block of the flowcharts, and combinations of blocks in theflowcharts, may be implemented by various means, such as hardware and/ora computer program product comprising one or more computer-readablemediums having computer readable program instructions stored thereon.For example, one or more of the procedures described herein may beembodied by computer program instructions of a computer program product.In this regard, the computer program product(s) which embody theprocedures described herein may be stored by, for example, the memory420 and executed by, for example, the processor 410. As will beappreciated, any such computer program product may be loaded onto acomputer or other programmable apparatus (for example, a marineelectronic device 405) to produce a machine, such that the computerprogram product including the instructions which execute on the computeror other programmable apparatus creates means for implementing thefunctions specified in the flowchart block(s). Further, the computerprogram product may comprise one or more non-transitorycomputer-readable mediums on which the computer program instructions maybe stored such that the one or more computer-readable memories candirect a computer or other programmable device (for example, a marineelectronic device 405) to cause a series of operations to be performedon the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce acomputer-implemented process such that the instructions which execute onthe computer or other programmable apparatus implement the functionsspecified in the flowchart block(s).

Conclusion

Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forthherein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which theseinventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in theforegoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is tobe understood that the embodiments of the invention are not to belimited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications andother embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of theinvention. Moreover, although the foregoing descriptions and theassociated drawings describe example embodiments in the context ofcertain example combinations of elements and/or functions, it should beappreciated that different combinations of elements and/or functions maybe provided by alternative embodiments without departing from the scopeof the invention. In this regard, for example, different combinations ofelements and/or functions than those explicitly described above are alsocontemplated within the scope of the invention. Although specific termsare employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive senseonly and not for purposes of limitation.

That which is claimed:
 1. An apparatus for providing marine informationcomprising: a user interface; a processor; and a memory includingcomputer program code, the memory and the computer program codeconfigured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to: generate asonar image based on sonar return data received from an underwaterenvironment relative to a vessel; determine a location associated withthe sonar return data based on location data received from one or moreposition sensors at an instance in which the sonar return data wasreceived by one or more transducers associated with the vessel; presenta nautical chart on a display; receive a user input on the userinterface within a portion of the display in which the nautical chart ispresented; and modify, in response to receiving the user input,presentation of the nautical chart such that the portion of the displaypresents the sonar image.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein thememory and the computer program code are further configured to, with theprocessor, cause the apparatus to: present the nautical chart on thedisplay from a first perspective; and cause, in response to receivingthe user input, presentation of a shifting from the first perspective toa second perspective on the portion of the display, wherein the secondperspective includes presentation of at least a portion of the sonarimage.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the nautical chart comprisesa three-dimensional nautical chart, wherein the sonar image comprises athree-dimensional sonar image, wherein a waterline is positioned betweenthe nautical chart and the sonar image during presentation of theshifting, and wherein the user input comprises a touch input at a firstpoint on the portion of the display at or above the waterline, draggingthe waterline to a second point that is vertically above the first pointon the portion of the display, and releasing the touch input.
 4. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the user input comprises a touch input bythe user at a first point on the portion of the display and dragging ofthe touch input to a second point on the portion of the display.
 5. Theapparatus of claim 4, wherein the first point is associated with anautical chart horizon.
 6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the firstpoint is associated with a perspective icon.
 7. The apparatus of claim1, wherein the user input defines a desired zoom level.
 8. The apparatusof claim 1, wherein the sonar image comprises a three dimensional sonarimage.
 9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the nautical chart comprisesautomatic identification system (AIS) data.
 10. The apparatus of claim1, wherein the memory and the computer program code are furtherconfigured to, with the processor, cause the apparatus to: render asonar image overlay over the nautical chart at a location associatedwith the sonar return data in response to a scale of the nautical chartsatisfying a predetermined scale; and remove the sonar image overlay inresponse to the scale of the nautical chart exceeding the predeterminedscale.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the sonar image overlaycomprises a sidescan sonar image.
 12. A method for providing marineinformation on a marine electronic device comprising: generating, by aprocessor of the marine electronic device, a sonar image based on sonarreturn data received from an underwater environment relative to avessel; determining a location associated with the sonar return databased on location data received from one or more position sensors at aninstance in which the sonar return data was received by one or moretransducers associated with the vessel; presenting a nautical chart on adisplay; receiving a user input on the user interface within a portionof the display in which the nautical chart is presented; and modifying,in response to receiving the user input, presentation of the nauticalchart such that the portion of the display presents the sonar image. 13.The method of claim 12 further comprising: presenting the nautical charton the display from a first perspective; and causing, in response toreceiving the user input, presentation of a shifting from the firstperspective to a second perspective on the portion of the display,wherein the second perspective includes presentation of at least aportion of the sonar image.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein thenautical chart comprises a three-dimensional nautical chart, wherein thesonar image comprises a three-dimensional sonar image, wherein awaterline is positioned between the nautical chart and the sonar imageduring presentation of the shifting, and wherein the user inputcomprises a touch input at a first point on the portion of the displayat or above the waterline, dragging the waterline to a second point thatis vertically above the first point on the portion of the display, andreleasing the touch input.
 15. The method of claim 12, wherein the userinput comprises a touch input by the user at a first point on theportion of the display and dragging of the touch input to a second pointon the portion of the display.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein thefirst point is associated with a nautical chart horizon or a perspectiveicon.
 17. The method of claim 12, wherein the user input defines adesired zoom level.
 18. The method of claim 12, wherein the sonar imagecomprises a three dimensional sonar image.
 19. A system comprising: oneor more sonar transducers configured to receive sonar return data froman underwater environment relative to a vessel; and a marine electronicdevice mounted to the vessel, the marine electronic device comprising: auser interface; a processor; and a memory including computer programcode, the memory and the computer program code configured to, with theprocessor, cause the marine electronic device to: generate a sonar imagebased on the sonar return data received from the one or more sonartransducers; determine a location associated with the sonar return databased on location data received from one or more position sensors at aninstance in which the sonar return data was received by the one or moresonar transducers; present a nautical chart on a display from a firstperspective; receive a user input on the user interface directed to aportion of the display in which the nautical chart is presented suchthat the user input corresponds to a geographic location; and cause, inresponse to receiving the user input: presentation of a shifting fromthe first perspective of the nautical chart to a second perspective ofthe nautical chart on the display; and presentation of at least aportion of a sonar image in relative position on the display withrespect to the nautical chart, wherein the sonar image presentedincludes sonar data received at the geographic location.